Sushi Three! Android review – A fairly good and interesting puzzle game

“Sushi Three” is a matching puzzle game using sushi arrangements. Using sushi ingredients you assemble dishes on a three by three table by putting layers (outer, inner, and center) together. The pieces you’re presented with can come in one or two layers so you’ll have to do some careful planning when preparing the plates, especially when more ingredients are used.

Yep, there are both combos and power-ups to be found in “Sushi Three!”.

To clear off the plates you need to match three in horizontal, vertical, or diagonal lines. The game doesn’t need you to have complete dishes, only match the ingredients. An entire dish with all three layers made out of the same ingredient will also count as a match. Matching ingredients and pulling off combos will reward bonus points, combo multipliers, and extra moves that come in handy when you can’t find a place for a piece and need to get rid of it.

I’m sorry sensei, but I can’t continue the combo.

Since this app focuses on sushi, the art direction based on an oriental style, complete with an Asian-esque font. I’ve never taken a look the sushi bar at my local Chinese buffet, so I can’t confirm if they resemble their real-life counter parts. However, they are distinguishable from each other (and that’s important for a puzzle game).

Next to the board, there’s Hidekazu Sensai, your master in the art of sushi puzzles. He’s usually unimpressed but when you start racking up combos, he’ll get excited, eventually breaking into a victory stance. However, once you break the combo he’ll go back to his previous expression, though he’s looking at you in disappointment.

The only song in the game sounds like one of those stock tracks you’d hear in a Chinese buffet, so it keeps with the theme. Besides, it’s subtle so it won’t distract you from making the best dish combo. For sound effects, the developer decided to go in the Kabuki theater direction, complete with the “Yoo” cry just to add to the charm the theme has going for it.

It looks like I might pull it off, but it really depends on what Hidekazu Sensei gives me, aside from his look of disappointment.

This is a well thought out app that focuses on arrangements and combos. It’s easy to pick up and the difficult adjusts as you rack up more points and combos. You may end up burning through a lot of Moves if you’re not careful, though. You can get a few more by watching an ad but there are also microtransactions available. They are relatively cheap and there’s an option to remove the ads for $0.99. Aside from the video you need to watch for free Moves the only ads I’ve seen were the banners on top of the screen, so I guess it’s a decent buy.

Pros:
+ A puzzle game that focuses on combos and arrangements
+ Interesting use of Sushi as a core mechanic
+ Economically friendly microtransactions

Verdict: 4/5
”Sushi Three” is an interesting and fairly good puzzle game that gives you a bit of challenge. The microtransactions aren’t bad either as they are pretty cheap, as long as you can please sensei. It’s worth downloading and checking out even if you’re not the sushi kind of person.